Instructions
- Prepare Sugar Cube: Place a drop of angostura bitters on a sugar cube.
- Add to Glass: Drop the bitters-soaked sugar cube into a champagne flute.
- Pour Champagne: Add 4 oz of champagne into the flute.
- Finish with Campari: Add a splash of Campari for a beautiful touch of red and a slight bitterness.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
A Goodnight Kiss is a 2010s riff on the classic Champagne Cocktail, the Jerry Thomas 1862 build of sugar plus bitters plus champagne. The Goodnight Kiss adds a small Campari splash, which gives the cocktail its red blush and its name: a quick bittersweet kiss before bed.
It sits in the champagne-cocktail family with the Champagne Cocktail, the Kir Royale, the French 75 and the Mimosa. All four lean on champagne or sparkling wine as the base. The Goodnight Kiss picks Campari as the bitter accent, which is the move that distinguishes it from the standard Champagne Cocktail.
Best ordered as a nightcap or a slow-pour evening drink. The cocktail is small in volume, low in proof, and works as a closing drink for a long meal. Not a brunch order; the Mimosa fills that slot.
What it tastes like
Sugar sweetness on the first sip, bitters complexity through the middle, dry champagne brightness on the finish, with a small Campari bittersweet kick on the very end. The four flavour layers balance each other; the cocktail is small but layered.
Around 11 to 12 percent ABV in the flute once the champagne and the Campari come together. A real one drink per glass. Drinks like a slow sipper, which is what the cocktail is designed for.
The technique
Place a sugar cube on a small plate or in a teaspoon. Drip a single drop of Angostura bitters onto the cube; the cube absorbs the bitters and turns brown.
Drop the bitters-soaked cube into the bottom of a chilled champagne flute. Pour four ounces of dry champagne slowly down the inside of the flute to preserve the bubbles. Add a small splash of Campari over the top so it sinks through the champagne and creates the red blush at the bottom of the glass.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The champagne
- Use
- Brut champagne or Brut Cava. Veuve Clicquot, Moet, or Codorniu Brut all work.
- Skip
- Sweet sparkling wines like Asti or Moscato. The cocktail collapses into syrup.
- Why
- Brut champagne is dry and acidic, which balances the sugar cube and the bitters and the Campari. Anything sweeter pulls the cocktail toward dessert territory and loses the cocktail's structure.
The Angostura bitters
- Use
- Standard Angostura bitters from a fresh bottle.
- Skip
- Orange or Peychaud's bitters. Different flavour profile.
- Why
- Angostura is the load-bearing bittering agent. The complex spice and bark notes are what give the Champagne Cocktail family its character. One drop on the sugar cube is enough; more pulls the cocktail toward bitter.
The Campari splash
- Use
- Standard Campari, the Italian aperitivo.
- Skip
- Aperol. Lower-proof, lower-bitterness, and the wrong colour weight.
- Why
- Campari is what gives the cocktail its red kiss and its bittersweet name. The small splash sinks through the champagne and creates the visual signature. Aperol is too soft for the role; Campari has the bite the cocktail needs.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Goodnight Kiss, in a flute
- Sugar cube soaked with one drop of Angostura, dropped into a flute, topped with four ounces of dry champagne, finished with a Campari splash.
The aperol build
- Goodnight Kiss, with Aperol
- Replace the Campari splash with an Aperol splash. Drinks softer and sweeter; loses the bitter kiss. Closer to a Brunch Cocktail than a nightcap.
The dry build
- Goodnight Kiss, no sugar cube
- Skip the sugar. Two drops of Angostura directly into the flute, four ounces of champagne, Campari splash. Sharper, drier, more aperitivo than dessert.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Brut Cava, Brut Prosecco or Cremant. All three work; the cocktail is built on the dry sparkling wine character, not the champagne brand.
Peychaud's bitters with a small drop of orange bitters. Different flavour profile but in the same bitters family.
Aperol works for a softer version. Cynar, Suze, or any Italian or French amaro also works for a more bitter version.
Half a teaspoon of caster sugar with the bitters drizzled directly on top. Same effect; the cube just looks better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in A Goodnight Kiss cocktail?
A sugar cube soaked with one drop of Angostura bitters, dropped into a champagne flute, topped with four ounces of dry champagne, finished with a small splash of Campari.
How strong is A Goodnight Kiss?
Around 11 to 12 percent ABV in the flute once the champagne and the Campari come together. A real one drink per glass. Drinks like a slow sipper.
What does it taste like?
Sugar sweetness on the first sip, bitters complexity through the middle, dry champagne brightness on the finish, with a small Campari bittersweet kick on the very end. Four layered flavour notes.
Why is it called A Goodnight Kiss?
The Campari adds a red blush to the bottom of the flute and a bittersweet kick on the swallow. The cocktail is small, slow, and built as a nightcap; the Campari gives it the kiss reference.
Can I use prosecco instead of champagne?
Yes. Brut Prosecco or Brut Cava both work. The cocktail is built on the dry sparkling wine character, not the champagne brand. Avoid sweet sparkling wines; they collapse the cocktail into syrup.
How is it different from a Champagne Cocktail?
The standard Champagne Cocktail is just sugar plus bitters plus champagne. A Goodnight Kiss adds the Campari splash, which gives the cocktail its red colour and its bittersweet final note.
Should I serve it ice cold?
Yes. The champagne should be straight from the fridge or on ice; the cold preserves the bubbles and balances the sugar. Lukewarm champagne kills the cocktail.
What kind of glass should I serve it in?
A champagne flute or a coupe. The flute preserves the bubbles longer; the coupe is more vintage. Both work for the cocktail.
Can I make a non-alcoholic version?
Replace the champagne with non-alcoholic sparkling wine like Lyre's, the bitters with orange-flower water, and skip the Campari. Same flavour shape, different alcohol level.
What other cocktails are similar?
A Champagne Cocktail, a Kir Royale, a French 75 and a Bellini. All four use champagne or sparkling wine as the base.
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